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ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT HARDING 



AT 



LANCASTER, N. H, AUGUST 4, 1921. 

Senator Drew said you had come here to see your President. I 
want to add, your President is very happy to come here to see you. 
I think it is a perfectly natural and commendable trait of the Amer- 
ican people that they like to see and know those whom they commis- 
sion to places of authority. On the other hand, it is a very good 
thing for those who are i)hiced in authority to know a little better 
the American people. If I could only have my way, if the exigencies 
of public service would only permit, I would like somehow to come 
in contact with all the people of these great United States and know 
them and their communities, their aspirations and their activities. 

You do not know how good it is to look the American people in 
the face and have your faith in America renewed. You do not know 
how good it is -to see the boys and girls who are the citizenship of 
to-morrow and find ourselves reconsecrated in the determination to 
hold for them the America which we older ones of to-day have 
inherited. 

I have had for a good many years a reverent and affectionate regard 
for a Lancaster boy who is now conspicuous in his service to the 
Nation. I refer to John Wingate Weeks, Secretary of War. New 
Hampshire has made some very notable contributions to the ranks 
of American statesmanship, but she never sent a more lovable, prac- 
tical, commonsensical, and courageous man to the public service. 
What a fine example of the opportunities of American youth. 

I am glad to come here and have the experience, as one of the 
Middle West, in gazing upon the works of your wonderful land. I 
wonder sometimes if you appreciate the indescribable charm of the 
section in which you live. You are so accustomed to these marvelous 
mountains, so addicted to these indescribable scenes of the valleys, 
that 3^ou do not quite appraise as some of us do who see them less. 

If I ever grew doubtful in any stage of my life of the wonderful 
goodness of God, I would only have to journey to this section to see 
the mountains in their eternal glories and the valleys glorified and 
then see them all crowned with our works of modern civilization and 
I would have my faith unalterably renewed. 

62.383 — 21 



^1 



This morning we were standing on the tower of Mount Prospect 
drinking in the picture and saw in one valley a storm brewing, but 
high above the mist or clouds the peaks stood out, striking in their 
might and permanence. Then I turned my thoughts to the affairs of 
men and nations, and felt how comforting it is that the clouds in 
our national life are only momentarily dimming the picture. We 
need not lose faith, because under the eternal plan God works out 
His ultimate intent, and I believe we may all take heart that no matter 
what betides to-day or what discourages to-morrow, we of America 
have a God-given destiny to fulfill which nothing on earth will ever 
prevent. 

What a fine thing it is to contemplate the things we of America 
are doing. What a fine thing it is to estimate how wonderfully the 
fathers conceived and that we of to-day are contributing to the ful- 
fillment. I never can escape the comforting impression that comes 
of the knowledge that in a century and a third of American national 
life we of the United States have outstripped every record of de- 
velopment in all the world, and the Republic which had its begin- 
ning here in New England only a century and a third ago is to-day 
voluntarily conceded signal leadership in the world. 

I had another thought while gazing upon the mountains this morn- 
ing. There in the distance was a beautiful, fertile valley offering 
everything required for sustenance and comfort. In the olden time, 
in man's primitive state, the inhabitants of one section, looking upon 
this beautiful spot, would have armed and seized it as their own. 
That was in the primitive age of man. The whole process of civili- 
zation has been wrought out of this primary conflict of might. The 
developing of civilization has called man's attention to the fact that 
it is not the just, the righteous way to acquire things, and so the story 
of the world is one stage or another of developing warfare, until we 
of this generation have witnessed the most dreadful struggle of all 
mankind. 

That conflict was so costly in treasure and in human sacrifices 
that mankind to-day is standing in penitence and in the conscious- 
ness of a determination that the whole development has been wrong, 
that acquirement through might is contrary to human justice, and 
m our sorrow and sympathy and our sacrifices we of America and 
all tlie worl-d are resolved to-day that warfare must come to an end. 

I am happy to bring you word that your Government is doing all 
,it can to bring about a conference of nations and to have their 
spokesmen look each other in the face and come to an understanding 
.that will remove the causes of war — not a surrender of nationality, 
:which we cherish ; not a surrender of our liberties, of our right to 
determine the ways we shall pursue, but to remove the reasons for 
war and put an end to ^-^ ^ . ^^ly n,-r.^.Tr.-.ni^fc^ t Kr^i^^yp wo shall succeed. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

"DECEIVED 

SE:P8-1921 



I would like to have much less expended for destruction and more 
of resources for instruction in America. I would like to have less 
of toil to maintain arms and more of play to hearten the American 
people. I do not believe the best of citizenship comes out of the con- 
stant grind. 1 would like an America where there is more recreation, 
not alone for the more fortunate people but for a fortunate Amer- 
ican people, in Avhich all may particiiDate. 

I like to bring you word that in some four months of responsibility 
I have come to a deeper faith in this Republic of ours. I was 
reminded of this conviction this morning by the first j)iece of mail 
1 received, written by some one in the West who thought I would 
have time to read and ponder, who warned me the Government must 
put an end to the aristocracy of wealth or the Nation would be 
doomed. The writer called upon me to behead all who had more 
than he or I have. But he didn't mean it. 

I wonder sometimes what wealth is. Contentment is the richest 
possession in the world. In the office of the Presidency I have come 
in contact lately with every kind of representation in American 
life — the great leaders of finance, the influential leaders of labor, 
the leaders in agriculture, and the leaders of various political 
groups — and I believe there is not one in any group who does not 
want, deep in his heart, to preserve our America and is doing all that 
he possibly can to aid in its onward march. 

Those Avho are suspected most of using their places of imi^ortance 
for selfish ends are sometimes the m"ost generous of all in their tenders 
of support and sacrifice for our Nation's good. Sometimes you think 
your Government is not alert; sometimes j^'ou think it is not con- 
cerned with what you believe to be your interests. Let me tell you— « 
and I care not what party is in power — your Government is always 
seeking to serve you to the best of its ability. 

You can not alwaj'S be told everything that is going on. I know 
there is a school of American advocates who believe that everything 
ought to be proclaimed at every stage of our national life. That is 
not a practical plan. 

I can commend your public servants. They are really trying 
to promote the good fortunos of our common country. Many serve 
at a personal or material sacrifice which you little guess. Ours is 
an inheritance of popular government. There is none precisely like 
it. I believe that we have come most nearl}^ to formulating a depend- 
able form of popular government that mankind has ever devised ; and 
you of New England may take that to your hearts, for American 
democracy had its beginning here. American democracy is the in- 
spiration of the world, and America's attitude will have a great and 
abiding influence on the world's modern civilization. 

WASniXGTON : GOVERN'MENT PRIXTIXG OFFICE : 1921 



H 43 81 
















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